Crystal Palace 2-2 Bournemouth: Christian Benteke misses last-gasp penalty after Jermain Defoe double

Jermain Defoe scored one of the goals of the season and Christian Benteke squandered an injury-time penalty as Crystal Palace achieved the notable double of five games unbeaten and sinking back to the Premier League seabed.

Palace should have won after fall guy Wilfried Zaha won his second penalty of the game, only for Benteke's weak effort to be parried by Asmir Begovic.

But it would have been desperately harsh on England striker Defoe if he had finished on the losing side.

Defoe, desperate to force his way into contention for a place in Three Lions coach Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad in Russia next summer, had been frustrated by his limited opportunities on the south coast.

But he seized his chance to shine in a madcap first half with a moment of signature opportunism and a monumental feat of geometry.

Those who dream of attending a football match in December without the mandatory airing of Wham's seasonal sopfest Last Christmas before kick-off were sorely disappointed.

And in the week Palace unveiled plans for a £100 million facelift of the ground which puts the 'grot' into Christmas grotto, the defending was two-bob.

But never mind the back gate, feel the entertainment.

Bournemouth took just 10 minutes to pick the lock from a slick short corner routine, but Palace's negligence was breathtaking.

To leave Defoe – who scored twice for doomed Sunderland here last season – in an acre of his own space by penalty spot to meet Andrew Surman's low cross – was crackpot.

Defoe, 35, tucked his chance into the corner for only his second goal of the season but the 200th League goal of his prolific career.

Palace's efforts to repair the damage were punctuated by the loss of skipper Mamadou Sakho, who pulled up lame after 24 minutes, but four minutes before the break they were level – in highly controversial circumstances.

Zaha was adjudged to have been brought down by Cherries keeper Asmir Begovic, but replays suggested the Ivory Coast winger was looking to go down and initiate any contact.

Referee Kevin Friend hesitated before pointing to the spot and Luka Milivojevic made no mistake, but Zaha's dip for the line may exercise Tom Daley and the diving panel on Monday.

Bournemouth did not even have time for their grievances to take root before they found themselves behind before the interval, substitute Scott Dann turning in Yohan Cabaye's low cross at the back post.

Astonishingly, there was still enough time for Defoe to restore the status quo in the third minute of added time before the segments of orange and teabags.

Defoe's dipping, angled volley was pure Marco van Basten (see the 1988 European Championship final on YouTube) and, more recently, an economy-class version of Patjim Kasami's sensational goal for Fulham at Selhurst Park four years ago.

To universal surprise, Defoe missed the chance to complete his hat-trick 14 minutes into the second period as he snatched at Junior Stanilas's cross.

And as both sides strained for the winner, Dann spooned a glorious chance over the top from point-blank range and Zaha was involved in another flashpoint when he reacted angrily to Lewis Cook's cynical foul.

No arguments about that one: Zaha was taken out, and both players were booked when the dust had settled.

Then came the dramatic finish, with Benteke missing the chance to lift Palace within a heartbeat of the right side of the dotted line.